Every year Tegan Barnaby tells herself to just chose one.
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But, to date that hasn't eventuated.
And so on Saturday, just as she has done many other Saturdays, she came off the field after leading the Tamworth womens 10s side to a 46-nil defeat of Barbarians, swapped her jersey and shorts for her Tamworth Swans netball uniform and whisked her way across the other side of town.
"Every year I say pick one, it's either rugby or netball.
"Don't do both because you're just dead by the end of it," Barnaby said with a laugh, adding that Sunday's "are very much on the lounge not doing much".
She only doubles up when the Magpies have home games. When they're away she travels with them.
Even still....
Usually having around 30 minutes between the two, one of the hardest things is going from that contact to non-contact mentality. She often has to remind herself that there's no tackling in netball.
"I'm like no don't tackle anyone, get your three feet," she said.
The hectic schedule speaks to a lifetime love of sport, of which netball has been a constant. She's been playing for close to 20 years.
Rugby and the Magpies came along about six years ago.
"My hubby (Luke) started playing for the Magpies and I went down to watch him play and I saw the girls playing and I was like 'I want to do that'," Barnaby, who works as a podiatrist, explained.
Joining their second season, she loves it.
So much so that Luke hasn't even tried to coax her to join him at Dungowan (he wanted to give league a try a few seasons ago and so went out there).
"He knows how much I love union," she said, adding that he is her biggest champion.
Their often conflicting schedules mean that they unfortunately don't get to watch each other play a lot, but also makes it all the more special when they do.
The two met at a friend's party while at uni on the Central Coast and were married out at Dungowan Station last March, the date chosen with their respective football commitments in mind.
"The wedding either had to be before or after the footy season," Tegan joked.
With regular captain Ellie Hannaford breaking her collarbone at the NSW Country Championships last month, she has stepped up to captain the Magpies in their last two games.
It's an honour she's loved.
"I love having a bit of a voice in the club," she said.
"It's always nice to run the girls out too."
Developing into a pivotal figure for the side, on Saturday Barnaby was one of three players to cross twice as they cemented their position on top of the table.
"I think it's the first time in the Maggie's history that the girls have been on top of the table," she said.
It's one of a couple of 'firsts' they've achieved this season; with their earlier win over Barbarians the first time they've beaten them on their home ground.
There's still a long way to go though before they can say mission accomplished, with the ultimate goal to make the grand final and win that.
